No one wants an uninvited guest in their car, especially if they're the six-legged kind. Ants in your car may seem like a small issue, but it can quickly become a huge problem if you let it go unchecked. Our Toyota of Orlando body shop specialists are here with tips on how to deal with ants in your car like a pro.
So here's the problem. What starts out as a few curious ants climbing into your car can quickly become a major infestation. If you recall from elementary school science, ants live in nests. But they leave the nests to go out and look for food and water to bring home for later, and when they do, they leave scent trails for their ant friends to also find the food and water. This makes it easy for hundreds and even thousands of ants to find their way into your Orlando Toyota and decide to just kick back and call it home.
So what can you do? Here are five tips for dealing with ants in your car.
Ants in your car: What you can do
Tip #1: Detail your car. Clean your car from top to bottom as thoroughly as you can. Get rid of any and all trash in the car, vacuum and wipe all surfaces, and empty out your trunk, glove box, and center console to get rid of any clutter. You don't want to leave anything that might tempt the ants to set up house in your car.
Tip #2: Try some at-home remedies to get them to vacate. Not sure you want to bring in the ant poison just yet? We get it. You can try a mixture of three cups of warm water, three tablespoons of salt, and three tablespoons of Dawn soap in a spray bottle first. Additionally, just like their eight-legged spider friends, ants hate anything citrus. Use a citrus-based cleaner in your car to deter them, and add citrus oil to the Dawn soap mixture we mentioned above.
Tip #3: Bring in the big guns. If the car detailing and at-home methods don't clear the ants out of your car, it's time to break out your wallet and buy ant poison. Spray any live ants that you see, and leave ant bait traps in your car for the ones that are hiding. Just remember to use extreme caution if you have kids or pets in your Orlando Toyota.
Tip #4: Scout for nests. Are there obvious nests anywhere near your car? If so, destroy them and force the ants to vacate to a new spot (far, far away from your vehicle).
Tip #5: Start parking somewhere else. Moving your car can get rid of those pesky scent trails that the ants have left to find their way back to your ride and also deter them from finding it again.
Let Toyota of Orlando help!
Need help with an ant infestation? Toyota of Orlando is always here to help. Call us at (407) 298-0001 today and let our techs help you get your ride ant-free again!
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